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Every season, hype surrounds a few undrafted rookie free agents and 2023 is no exception. Already, New York Giants wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton has become the center of attention, appearing on various UDFA watch lists.
Pro Football Focus is the latest to hop on that bandwagon, naming Ford-Wheaton to their very own “UDFA to watch in 2023” list.
One of the more notable players to not hear their name called on NFL draft weekend, Ford-Wheaton instantly pops on his 2022 film due to his explosiveness and body control downfield. While he ran a limited route tree at West Virginia and lacks some creativity after the catch, he showed strong hands, converting more than 50% of his contested targets into catches, and brings suddenness at the top of his routes to create additional separation.
The Giants’ receiving corps has improved, at least on paper, from this time last year, and Ford-Wheaton’s athletic profile and untapped potential as a route runner provide a ceiling for him to develop into a rotational piece.
Ford-Wheaton is one of the most athletic wide receivers to come out of college ever. His RAS score of 9.97 was the 11th-highest for any receiver since 1987 and had he performed better in the 3-cone drill (6.47), he might have scored the highest of all time.
Perhaps more impressive than Ford-Wheaton’s RAS score has been the pro comparisons to Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson. That is exceptionally high praise.
But it’s important to remember that Ford-Wheaton hasn’t taken a single NFL snap and there’s a reason why he went undrafted. He’s not a perfect prospect by any stretch of the imagination and isn’t a lock to make the Giants’ 53-man roster. Still, the athleticism and potential are most certainly there.
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